Frugal Living

# 60 Decluttering as Frugality

2011-01-27T20:07:00.000-08:00

As I declutter my home and put things in order, I am finding things that I can use. By using what I have already, I save. When things are a bit too cluttered, items can be lost and it costs extra to buy a duplicate of something you have because you cannot find the original (some people will buy several because they lose the items many times in clutter).

Amazing

2010-12-21T18:13:00.000-08:00

The more I go to thrift stores, (second hand stores) the more I wonder why people would pay a lot of money for many kinds of things. I see things, like new, for a quarter or fifty cents or a dollar that cost quite a bit more new. Some of it is in the original package still. Bunches and bunches and bunches of everything one can think of.

I don't want all that stuff. It is overwhelming. Every once in a while I buy an item if I like it. All that stuff brings to mind thoughts of "what is really valuable in life anyway?" Some of these things come from the estates of people after they die or have to downsize and go into a nursing home. There is a kind of emptiness in owning just to possess things. You can imagine some things for sale there were never used because they were being kept for "good". They should have treated themselves and used what they liked instead of settling for lesser things.

The things of the world pass away but our souls are eternal. Thrift stores are a wonderful place to get whatever is needed inexpensively. But they remind me of the words of Solomon in the book of Ecclesiastes. Some of what we humans chase after is not worth it, like chasing after the wind.

Utility Bills Price Increase

2010-08-20T10:24:00.000-07:00

The Springfield City Utilities are raising their rates on electricity, water and gas some each year for 3 years starting this October 2010. My figures look different than theirs using the same numbers but expressing it in a different way.

Electric for the average user costs $68.21 now.
In Oct 2013, it will cost $86.22
$86.22 - $68.21 = $18.01 or a 26.4% increase above today's price.

Gas for the average user is $60.78 now.
The 2013 price will be $74.53
$74.53 - $60.78 = $13.75 or a 22.6% increase above today's amount

Water for the average user is $20.83 right now
In 2013 the same customer will pay 28.09 for the same amount
$28.09 - $20.83 = $7.26 or a 34.8% increase over the current price.

The quest for a frugal person is to cut back on usage by that amount without sacrificing quality of life. The utility company doesn't really want customers to do that because they are counting on the extra money. From a financial standpoint, they probably want us to use slightly more, not less.

Here are some random ideas to cut usage. Not all will be practical for anybody, especially if you live in a neighborhood association area.

Water
Use water saver shower heads.
Take short showers.
If you are a really sedentary person, if you have lots of trouble with dry skin or if you don't stink and aren't filthy, don't take a bath or shower every day. It wasn't too many years ago people only bathed once a week. (If somebody tells you you stink, do us all a favor and take a quick shower anyway)
Use dishpans to hand wash dishes then throw the dish water out on the garden or flowers like grandma used to do. The soap in the water kills the bugs on the vegetables without using poisons.
Only wash full loads of clothes. Wear clothes more than once if they are not dirty or stinky. Some items can be worn many times unless you are sloppy or work with snotty nose kids who wipe their faces on you and slobbering animals. Get overalls for dirty jobs and wear them over and over to protect your clothes.
Reuse towels instead of washing after each use.
Use mulch and compost in your gardens and flower beds to retain moisture so they do not need as much water.
If you do not own a low volume flush, there are kits available to make them use less water.
Wait until the dishwasher is full to run it.
Replace drippy faucet washers and fix leaks to stop water loss.
Do not leave water running while you leave the room or do other things. Turn it off when not in use.

Electric and Gas.
-Same as savings for washers and dishwashers. Only run them when they are full.
-Electric dryers (gas too) Pull clothes before completely dry and let them finish air drying on the hanger.
-Use a clothesline for as many things as possible. If you live in a neighborhood that is more aesthetically aware than environmentally friendly, a clothesline in the garage or a clothes rack in a bathroom or laundry room can work. I use an umbrella type line that collapses when not in use. It is in a patio umbrella stand so I can move it around or remove it easily. Ace hardware sells the umbrella type clotheslines here but walmart does not.
-Turn out lights and all electricity using devices when not in room.
-Use low wattage energy saver light bulbs in lights that stay on a lot such as a porch light. Some people like to use these everywhere but for some with vision problems, the quality and type of light is hard to see by. Also, the lights contain mercury and may be a health hazard over the long term. Proponents say they don't break, but they do. They also smoke in some outlets and they do not work at all with a dimmer switch.
-Or use bulbs with a lower wattage.
-For those who are not too proud, in fixtures using 3 or 4 bulbs, use one less for a 25% to 33% savings. Leave a burned out bulb in one.
-LED lights are on constantly on many things like TV's, DVD players, stereos etc. They draw small amounts of electricity continually but it can add up. Put all such devices on surge protector strips and turn off the strip when not in use.Want to see how many such devices you have? At night turn out all the lights and look around the rooms for little red lights. Some experts say those little lights emit something that interferes with our sleep patterns so are not very healthy over time. But that's a frugal health issue and somebody somewhere will say "there is no evidence" and "you can't prove it". Can't disprove it either. So I'll continue to do my own thing.
-If you have to replace your furnace or air conditioner, get an energy saving model. They do not save you any cash for many years so don't go out and buy one you don't need. Sometimes there are rebates for the energy efficient models.
-Use solar lights near the home entrances instead of porch lights if you are in a low crime area.
-Trees that lose their leaves in winter and shade the house in summer save electricity. Plants near the house can do the same thing. Shade house in summer and protect from wind and the elements in the winter.
-In summer, close shades and curtains to keep the hot sun from worming the house even more. In winter, open shades to allow the suns rays to warm the house.
- Buy and use insulated curtains and shades to keep heat out in summer and cold out on winter nights. Insulated windows are good if you have them but they are not cost effective to purchase as it will take many years to recover the extra cost of purchase.
-Caulk around windows and doors to reduce heat and cooling loss.
-Replace your furnace filter regularly.
- Insulation in the walls and attic should be increased if need be. It is expensive and the person living from paycheck to paycheck cannot afford it. Like any other major home improvement, the savings take a long time to show up.
-In winter, use a crock pot to cook meals. It uses very little electricity and warms whatever room it is in over a few hours.
- Turning down the furnace several degrees and using a space heater for the room you are in can cost less than heating the whole house a few extra degrees.
-Close vents in the foundation of the house in the winter to keep cool air under the house to a minimum.
- In older houses, the electric switch plates and outlets on the outer walls are not insulated. Small insulators for them are very inexpensive and easy to install.
- Turn down the hot water heater. Put a special blanket on it to retain heat longer and reduce heat loss. Take shorter showers.
- Wash most clothing in cold water.
- Cook several items at once in the oven and on the stove.
- In summer, cook outside as often as possible or choose foods that require little or no cooking such as salads, sandwiches, etc.
- Use a programmable thermostat. No good for us right now because people are here 24/7 coming and going. With sons in college, working night and early morning shifts, etc, there is no off time. But for normal households, this works well.
- I put skirts on the bottom of my doors going outside to keep the wind from coming under the door like they do in motels. If it were not an old house, it might not be an issue.
- On really hot days, I put up the patio umbrella on the back patio near the house to provide a tiny bit more shade to the house.
- I'm considering an acceptable wind break on the front porch and back patio by the doors.
- Insulating the garage doors from the heat and cold.
- Check the chimney for heat and air loss.
- For the super cheapie person. Turn off everything you can, turn the heat down in winter or the ac up in summer and go spend your time in a public building using your computer or whatever. Use their water, electric, etc instead of yours. If you can shower in another location, such as a gym you belong to, all the better.

The challenge for me is to see if I can use less utilities so my bill does not go up with the price increases. Now a mathematician will tell me I am wrong but I don't care. It's just a rule of thumb. I added all 3 percentages together, divided by 3 and came up with an approximate overall increase of about 28% over the next 3 years. It's going to be a challenge to cut that much. Time to go to the hardware stores and browse the aisles.

Sleep

2010-07-31T20:05:00.000-07:00

Sleep is good. It keeps you healthy. And that saves money.

Old Fashioned Ways

2010-07-03T17:29:00.000-07:00

A slower lifestyle can be both money saving and healthier. Think about the way people lived 40, 50 or more years ago. There are some things we would not want to do without, such as air conditioning. But there are other things that might matter less.

Spend more time walking outside and less time walking around stores buying things you do not really need. Get more fresh air.

Spend more time with people and visiting than doing things that cost a lot of money. In the end, the quality of your relationships will be a major determinate in the quality of your life.

Do less. Have less. Yes, you can. Your life is not the sum total of what you possess. It sometimes gets in the way of life because you have to tend the stuff rather than enjoy peace and rest and relationships.

Drink lots more water. It is inexpensive and it is much healthier. You'll live longer with less ailments.

Dry your clothes out on a clothesline. The sun does a better job of killing bacteria and germs than bleach and with no harmful fumes like bleach.

Eat food as close as possible to the way they occur in nature. It costs less to eat a banana than a banana creme pie from the frozen food aisle and it is healthier. Eat your fruits and vegetables. Avoid processed cheeses and cured or processed meats. Many of our current health problems are the result of our dietary habits. It costs a whole lot less to eat 5 to 7 fruits and veggies a day than it does to take lifelong medications, have surgeries and deal with all the medical needs stemming from our bad food choices. There's a lot less pain and suffering too.

Bake, boil and broil your foods rather than fry them. If appropriate, eat foods raw, such as carrots. You save money by saving your health. Heart trouble and diabetes and knee surgeries are expensive.

Eat at home. Simple, healthy meals are much better for you than the salt and fat laden items served in restaurants. Eating sitting at a table and not rushing leads to better digestion. Saves money on the anti acid pills.

Turn off the a/c or heat when the weather is nice and open your windows to let in fresh air. Unless you live in a very polluted city or have severe lung problems already, this is healthy. And healthy is frugal.

Buy clothes that can be washed at home. Do not purchase clothes that must be dry cleaned. Dry cleaning is not frugal. Dry cleaners use chemicals on the clothing to clean them. Over time you are exposed to these chemicals which are considered not very good for your health. Healthy is frugal.

Worshiping the Lord is frugal. How? People who attend church and have faith in the Lord live longer, are happier and are healthier than those who do not. Researchers have concluded this. Why? People in church have friends and social contacts. Those correlate to a better life. They have faith and purpose and life has meaning. Things that make one healthier. People who are faithful in worship tend to have healthier lifestyles than those who do not, drinking, smoking, doing drugs, and other high risk behaviors tend to be avoided more. Prayer is time of quiet and tends to slow down the heart rate so the body is more relaxed, a healthy thing. Singing lifts the spirits and stimulates chemical reactions in the body that encourage better health. It also gives the lungs a work out and increase dopamine in the brain which lead to a sense of well being.

Frugal Living

2009-09-16T12:59:00.001-07:00

There are so many good coupoons available for restaurants and businesses right now, both printed and on line. Why pay full price when the same meal can cost half as much?

#59 Halving

2009-04-16T10:05:00.000-07:00

Look for ways to divide things in half for savings.

I found a special on big dog bisquits, but my dog eats medium ones, so I bought them and break them in half for my dog to eat.

Some people order a prescription double dose of what they need and split the pills so they last twice as long for the same price.

There are people who cut a dryer sheet in half and only use half for each load of laundry. For clothes that are not really dirty, half the amount of laundry soap may be enough.

There are times when a product is on sale and you and a friend can split it half and half, each getting what you need and only paying half.

Some restaurants have very large servings for a good price. Split a meal. Some restuarants charge extra to put it on two plates for you but almost none charge you if you split it yourself. Splitting it yourself gives you more control over the amounts of each item that each person gets in accordance with their preferences. For large servings and small appetites, you might even want to consider splitting an entree 3 ways. Ditto for desserts.

#58 Dollar stores

2009-03-02T18:58:00.000-08:00

Check out the "everything for a dollar" type stores. They sell many things, that cost as much as $3 to $5 at other stores, for a dollar each.

#57 Bird Feeder Kit

2009-03-02T18:54:00.000-08:00

I bought a bird feeder kit at the hardware store for a little over $2. It amounted to a handle and a cap that fastened to a 2 liter bottle with a place for the birds to land, a small saucer for the birds to feed out of and small openings for the seed to drop through. The birds are loving my cheap, 2 liter plastic bottle, bird feeder.

#56 Bring Your Own Bags

2009-03-02T18:43:00.000-08:00

I've started bringing my own bags shopping and stores take off a nickel a bag. One of our stores had a special sale, 3 for $1 cloth bags and I had coupons for a few dollars off any purchase from another offer. At that rate I save around a dollar a week, sometimes less.

While I am at the store, I shop in all the bargain bins for reduced merchandise of the things we can use. If it is not half price or lower, I do not consider it a very good bargain since it is overstocks, discontinued items, items close to or past date, dented boxes and cans, ripped bags and that sort of thing. Recently I was able to get bird seed that had been repackaged due to ripped bags at a very good price. Birds don't care even if the ripped bags had to be gathered off the floor.

#55 Fresh Herbs

2009-02-28T19:30:00.000-08:00

Grow your own fresh herbs in a small flower bed or in indoor pots. Small plants or seeds are inexpensive and will grow and furnish you with fresh herbs, sometimes for years to come if they are perennials.

#54 Rent

2009-02-28T19:18:00.000-08:00

When you need something for one event or task, check into renting what you need rather than buying it and storing it. This might be party or entertaining supplies, home or yard improvement equipment or tools, sports equipment, special clothes for a special occassion, camping supplies and more.

#53 Birthdays

2009-02-28T18:16:00.000-08:00

Make your own birthday cakes from scratch or from a box mix. The ones you make yourself taste great, cost less and are probably healthier (bakery cakes often contain a lot of shortening or fats). Decorate with inexpensive candies in the frosting.

Start some traditions such as a birthday table cloth or placemat, a special plate for the birthday person (one plate that birthday people get to use it on their birthday) possibly from a dollar store, maybe an inexpensive birthday hat for the birthday person, maybe an inexpensive banner that appears whenever a person in the house has a birthday, a few balloons on the table or in a place where they can be seen, and maybe making the birthday person's favorite meal on their day. Making someone feel special has more to do with getting special attention than it does spending a lot of money.

#52 Offspring

2009-02-28T17:59:00.000-08:00

Instead of rushing around to take the kids to all their various activities, limit the number of activities they participate in to those that are most important to them. Decide to live a lower key life. It will save you money on gas, on equipment, on travel expenses, on registration and other fees and many more related expenses.

Everybody needs "down time" just to relax. People who are constantly on the go develop stress related illnesses like migraines, ulcers, acid reflux and many other things. People who do not stop to rest and let their mind and bodies renew themselves pay for it in less creativity, less ideas, often more heart troubles and may even go to an earlier grave. The effects of long term stress are well documented.

Overscheduling kids does not give them the opportunity to make choices. As an adult, they will not be able to do everything. Limit setting ability is best taught early. When a kid is overscheduled, the world of the family revolves around them. That is setting them up for an unrealistic idea about how life works. Not only that, all that overtending of the children sends Mom (and Dad)to an early grave and to a host of stress related conditions on the way. Parents do not usually give birth to children so they can become slaves to them. That's crazy. Past generations did not behave that way.

Save money on medications for stress, anxiety, reflux, headaches, body aches, sleep problems and much more for the whole family by slowing down and letting your body and soul renew themselves.

#51 At Home

2009-02-28T17:50:00.000-08:00

Spend more time at home. Fix your meals there. Do not go shopping for recreation. Do not cruise town and do unnecessary driving. Enjoy your family. Enjoy your home. Spend time out in your yard. Rearrange your furniture if you have the health. Be content with what you already have. Use up those things you have been saving. Adopt a simpler lifestyle.

Thoughts

2009-02-19T17:43:00.000-08:00

The news reports are getting worse and worse. They say more people are losing their homes, many people are losing their jobs, businesses are failing and lots more. The news is continually bad. The stock market is pretty far down.

Oddly, I'm not seeing much more of any of this here than I have ever seen. The only thing that is different is that our retirement account lost value along with everybody else. It will come back up in time. People have cut back on their spending and the stores and roads are less crowded, but not so much.

Congress has just passed an economic stimulus bill quickly, that is over 1,000 pages long we are told, and almost none of our congressmen read the thing before voting on it. I wonder what it contains, especially the little hidden surprises? Politicians always include hidden surprises. I think they call them pork.

Being frugal is good no matter what the economy but I wonder if all the doom and gloom are really coming or if it is mostly hype and political posturing. Fear sells newspapers and air time. The American people are very resilient and smart and wind up solving about any problem that comes along.

I am fascinated with the 1,000 gardens project. Larger communities are encouraging citizens to add 1,000 or more new gardens in their communities. I'll have to say it will be healthier if more people eat fresh produce and that would be a good thing.

There is a lot more dishonesty and greed than it seems like there was in the past, but maybe it seems that way because it is making the news more.

As we were out driving the other day, we passed by rows of storage buildings, the kind that people rent to put stuff in. Our homes are full of stuff, our garages are so full of stuff we can't park the car in them, our basements are full of stuff and we still have so much stuff we have to rent storage buildings to store it all. And what are the experts telling us to do to get the economy going better? Buy more! Where are we going to put it and do we really need that much stuff? It seems a bit crazy to me.

Economy

2008-10-09T18:34:00.000-07:00

In general people are doing what they need to do to save money. They quit spending. Our stock market is going down which means many of our retirement accounts are affected. Those who are due to retire soon may have problems and may have to work a whle longer. Gas prices are high, although they did go down a little this week. It still costs quite a bit more than it did to drive somewhere. Our electric, gas and water costs are going up.

All this means it costs more for goods to be delivered and for businesses to run. So the cost of almost everything is going up. The housing market is down and home values are getting lower.

As a result of this, some people are losing their jobs. Not an enormous amount but more than normal. Business has been going overseas for a while so the trend is not new but the closing of businesses due to lack of sales is. Because some lenders were unscrupulous and some borrowers were overly optmistic or naive, an unusually large number of people are losing their homes.

These kinds of things have happened before and the country recovers. There will be many among us who will need temporary help. If we are careful with what we have, we will have enough for ourselves and some to share with others. That's what Christians are supposed to do.

#50 Eye Problems, illnesses and injuries

2008-08-09T13:02:00.000-07:00

Rather than go to a family medical doctor or emergency room for any condition involving the eyes, go to an eye doctor. They charge much less for a visit and are likely to get the diagnosis and treatment right the first time, since eyes are their specialty. They can prescribe just like your family doctor can. They can tell you if it is allergies, pink eye, a scratched lens or anything else.

Some box stores have eye doctors on staff and they can see you that day. Eye doctors can do a lot more than sell eye glasses and contacs.

#49 Insurance

2008-08-09T12:44:00.000-07:00

When it comes to the various types of insurance, shop around. Prices will vary greatly from place to place.

Car insurance companies give discounts for things like not smoking, driver's ed, no accidents and other things. If your car is older, you might want to consider carrying just liability insurance. That means, if an accident is your fault, they pay for the other guy, but they do not pay for any damage to your car. Another way to save money is by carrying a higher deductible.

Health insurance is usually through an employer and there is little choice. If not check all the options. If you leave one job and either do not have another job or are just starting another job, check into extending your previous insurance through COBRA, especially if you have a medical condition. By law, you have the right to keep your insurance for a period of time, but you are responsible for all the premiums. If your former company was paying part of them for you, it will now be your responsibility. If you have a preexisiting condition, it is worth it.

Check with your employer to see if a cafeteria plan for health expenses is available. Cafeteria plans allow you to purchase health care needs and not pay taxes on them.

Some of the newer health insurance plans have wellness plans. If you follow their guidelines, you are eligible for health insurance discounts. These are through an employer and are worthwhile savings.

Homeowners insurance varies in price. There are also discounts available for many things such as smoke detectors and a home security system, a new roof, a relatively new furnace, etc. Ask.

Some insurance companies will give you a much better deal if you carry most, or all, of your insurance with them.

Since buying insurance means dealing with salespeople whose livelihood depends on making sales, this can be time intensive, but it can save you hundreds of dollars a year.

#48 Ride the Bus or Train or Subway

2008-08-09T12:39:00.000-07:00

Public transportation is less expensive than private transportation. It takes some prior planning in communities where buses and trains may not come frequently but it is much less expensive than owning a car or driving it. In cities, it saves on the daily parking fee as well as the gas and the wear and tear on the car.

In areas where trains and subways are available, they cost much less than driving a car also.

#47 Ride a Bike

2008-08-09T12:37:00.000-07:00

Bicycles are inexpensive to own and riding one to get to where you need to go saves money on gas and car expenses. It is also good for your heart and for your overall health when you ride, thus with the potential to save on medical expenses over time.

#46 Walk

2008-08-09T12:34:00.000-07:00

Walking where you need to go, when possible saves money on gas and car expenses. It is also good for your health and will save, over time, on medical bills. Walking is also good for your mental health. For the super frugal, if you walk enough, you will come across pennies and other coins on the ground.

#45 Ceiling Fans

2008-08-09T12:30:00.000-07:00

Use ceiling fans in both summer and winter to move the air. In winter, warm air rises and a fan will circulate the heat. In summer, reverse the blade direction and the air will be pulled away from the floor rather than pushed down to it.

#44 Space Heaters

2008-08-07T21:30:00.000-07:00

With the price of gas going up, sometimes electricity is cheaper. To take advantage of this, use space heaters in the rooms where you are staying to help warm that room. You will be comfortable without using a lot of costly gas and those small space heaters heat up more than a person might realize.

#43 Crock pots

2008-08-07T21:26:00.000-07:00

It is possible to cook a meal in a crock pot, which saves time and money. If you come home in the afternoon and are too tired or busy to cook, the crock pot is there and keep you from going out and buying more expensive meals.

In the winter, a crock pot can help warm your home for pennies. A hot crock pot full of anything, even just water, raises the temperature of the room. It could be a savings on the utility bill. The crock pot raises the temperature of whatever room it is in.

#42 Toaster Oven

2008-08-07T21:22:00.000-07:00

On hot days, using a toaster oven to cook, rather than a large oven, will save on the cooling bill. A small toaster oven still cooks but it does not heat up the house as much as an oven.

#41 Get the Last Little Bit

2008-08-07T21:14:00.000-07:00

When we get to the bottom of a mayonaise jar, ketchup bottle, dish soap bottle, shampoo bottle or anything else with a thick liquid, we do not have to throw out those last tablespoons. For food items, such as mayonaise, use a spatula to get the last of it.

For other food items in smaller bottles or soap based items, put a little bit of warm water in the bottle then swirl it around until the remaining liquid becomes thinner and can be poured out. Some things, like the ketchup, may be thin and best used in sauces. Thinner non foods, such as soaps, work well when thinned but you might have to use more. The savings aren't much, maybe ten cents or more per bottle but little bits add up over time. If we finish off 20 bottles a month, that's $2 and about $24 a year. Why not keep the $24 for something you like instead of throwing it in the trash?

#40 Drink lots of tap water

2008-08-04T19:30:00.000-07:00

Why? It will keep you in much better health. All that soda pop is going to pickle your innards and put calcium and other deposits in your veins and arteries. It hasn't been proven yet, but that stuff is made up of chemicals that we have no idea what they can cause over the long run.

Water is healthy. Most of us are suffering from chronic dehydration according to some experts. That means more aches and pains, particularly in the joints of the body, more headaches, more acid reflux, worse digestion and much more. Enough water helps your body flush out all the unhealthy stuff that needs to go. You might even feel perky if you aren't getting enough water and you start getting what your body needs.

Tap water is very inexpensive. Bottled water costs quite a bit more and, over time, many of the chemicals in the plastic bottle leach into the water. Some of those chemicals aren't too healthy.

Bad health costs money. Medicines cost money. Water can help many people, at least some. And out of the tap it is cheap.

#39 Spend Cash

2008-08-04T19:29:00.000-07:00

Notice that debit cards are raising their fees and several other banking fees are going up. There is no service charge of any kind for cash.

# 38 Clothing

2008-06-01T13:36:00.000-07:00

Check out the second hand stores in your area. They have lots of good, used clothing. Many second hand sotres are run by groups like the Salvation Army, Goodwill, Disabled Veterans and many other non profits. They are laid out attractively, in most cases now, like a department store. When you buy anything from them, you are supporting the organization which helps those in need.

People donate a variety to these places, including some very nice and expensive clothing which is sold very cheaply. People gain or lose weight, die, split with their partner, get tired of stuff and all sorts of things so the items are not all worn out. Some are brand new and never worn.

Another type of shop to buy clothing is a consignment shop. People bring in the clothing they no longer need and, if it sells, they get a percentage of the sale price. This is a for profit business that has good bargains.

Garage sales are good places to find clothing. It takes a lot more shopping to find what you can use but the prices are great. Similar to this is church and other organizational (like scouts)rummage sales. These are one or two day events and everyone in the group donates items to be sold for the profit of the group. These can be a treasure trove, especially if you are willing to look at out of season items.

Hold a clothing swap with friends who wear the same size as you wear. Or that have children about the same age. Share and pass around children's clothing.

Shop the clearance sales at stores or at stores that specialize in very low prices. Watch out for the flaws in "seconds".

If clothing rips or a zipper comes out, repair it rather than replace it if the rest of the item is in good condition.

#37 Eat Breakfast for Dinner

2008-06-01T13:33:00.000-07:00

Breakfast foods, such as pancakes, waffles, omelets, scrambled eggs, toast and all those other things make not only a quick meal at dinner time, but also an economical one.

#36 Fix Sandwiches at Home

2008-06-01T12:52:00.003-07:00

A sandwich at a sandwich shop now costs $6 to $9. A sandwich at home is almost always less than a $1 unless you are extreme. This is assuming you will make sandwiches more than one day and will not throw away things like the rest of the loaf of bread after you have eaten one sandwich.

A loaf of bread is $1 at the day old bread shop. The fancier breads at specialty shops, like tomato basil, are around $4 a loaf. A loaf has about 20 slices in it. That means 2 slices of bread cost 10 cents to 40 cents.

Meat fillings on the sandwiches run about 2 to 4 ounces. If you buy prepackaged lunchmeat, such as smoked ham, turkey, chicken, bologna, salami, etc. it costs less. Meats can run anywhere from 35 cents to $1.50 for high priced deli service counter meat. (Or more if you choose overpriced stores).

Condiments generally run anywhere from 2 cents (regular mustard) to 6 cents (mayonnaise types) for a tablespoon. Mix in herbs you have on hand for a fancier effect.

Lettuce leaf is about a nickle each or less. Tomato slices can run as high as 15 cents each in winter. If you like avacado slices, 1/4 of an avacado is about 25 cents. Sprouts for a sandwich cost less than 25 cents. Bacon bits can run anywhere from 3 cents to 25 cents depending on where you buy them (warehouse stores are best).

If you like peanut butter and jelly, that is much cheaper. A serving of peanut butter (1 1/2 tbs) is around 10 cents. A serving of grape jelly is about 5 cents. Fancier jellies cost 10 to 20 cents oer serving. So a peanut butter and jelly sandwich at my house costs 25 cents but at a restaurant it is $6.

A sandwich at my house costs from 50 cents to $2. The way to save money is to eat sandwiches at home.

What about the side dish? The quarter cup of potato salad or slaw costs about $2 or less to make at home for a couple of cups of it.

Very simple Potato salad.
Peel, cube and steam 1 to 2 pounds of potatoes until tender. Cool. Mix in 1 to 3 tbs of mayo type salad dressing and 1 t of prepared mustard. Mix in 1 t of pickle relish or 2 T of diced onion or 1 diced hard boiled egg or 1 rib of diced celery or 1 T of chopped chives or 1 t of parsely or any combination that you would like. The whole multiple serving dish usually costs less than a dollar or about 15 cents for a mini cup.

Simple slaw.
Shred 1/2 to 1 head of cabbage. shred or grate a carrot or 2 into the cabbage. Mix in mayo type salad dressing to coat 1-3 Tbs. Some people add a tsp of vinegar, some dill seed, a bit of sugar and even a bit of onion to taste. The whole multiple serving dish usually costs less than $1 or about 15 cents for one of those mini cups.

#35 Color Coding Little Kids' Belongings

2008-05-18T19:31:00.000-07:00

When the children were small, I color coded them. Each child had a cup with a lid that was his color. If one of the little guys was too full to finish his milk, it stayed in his cup in the refrigerator until he was thirsty again. No waste. Sometimes the cup contained water. They were at the stage where they were too small to reach the faucet to get their own drink but big enough to get into the refrigerator and old enough to know their color. Leftovers were in colorcoded containers sometimes. When a little guy was too full to eat at meal time but got hungry later, the food (sandwich, fruit, that sort of thing) was there for him. We kept from wasting a lot of food that way.

Other personal items were color coded too. Each little guy was proud of his color and wasn't interested in anybody else's color.

#34 Water Glass

2008-05-18T19:19:00.000-07:00

Water is the best beverage. It takes a while to develop a taste for it if you don't drink much of it but, once that happens, water tastes better than almost anything else, especially when you are thirsty. Our bodies crave water and it is necessary for good health. Sometimes I like mine with a slice of lemon, lime or even orange sometimes, with ice. There is mint growing in the yard and a sprig adds a touch of class.

#33 Tea

2008-05-18T18:59:00.000-07:00

Brew some sun tea instead of buying premade tea or instant tea for iced tea. It's healthy and the flavor is excellent. Sun tea does not use any extra energy. The sun does the brewing. It even works on cloudy days. Inexpensive store brand tea bags work as well as name brands.

#32 Communication -Mail Savings

2008-05-18T18:52:00.000-07:00

Use email instead of snail mail to send out mass mailings of necessary group information such as agenda's, minutes, instructions, formas and other things.

#31 Clothing

2008-05-14T19:39:00.000-07:00

I love to wear blazers and warm cardigans but I hate paying $50 to $100 or more each for them. I prefer to wear layers for comfort and I prefer classic styles. I am getting a good supply of them now in very nice fabrics. The blazers are costing me $2 to $8 and the cardigans have been anything from 50 cents to $3. I buy them at the DAV Thrift stores and at church and Christian organization sales, primarily in the summer.

I love wearing the better clothing but I spend a lot of time working with people, children, babies, food and animals. They are messy so I get messy sometimes. If I am wearing something that costs a lot, I worry more about the clothing than the people and I wind up being miserable. Some people live in such a way that they never get messy. Not me. Life happens. People are worth more than stuff. So I am thrilled with my thrift store finds.

#30 Air Miles

2008-05-14T19:35:00.000-07:00

If you sign up for air miles or frequent flier miles on long trips, you earn enough for other trips quickly. This is new to me but worth checking into.

#29 Money exchange and Mission trips

2008-05-14T19:27:00.000-07:00

We are taking a trip and will need to get local currency. (Dog sitting is free because my adult children will still be in the house.)

I checked with two banks today. One said one to two days and did not mention a fee. No problem as long as I am one of their customers. The other said 7 to 10 business days and there is a fairly high percentage fee even though I have an account at that bank. Guess which bank I am going to use! (since the first did not mention a fee, I will need to double check it.)

#28 Chairs, coffee and such

2008-05-14T19:04:00.000-07:00

Today I rewebbed a lawn chair. The webbing was ripped but the frame was fine. I have heard lots of jokes about how people say they will fix the chairs but never do. I really do and it is not hard.

One of our favorite coffee shops is going out of business. They are selling out everything at 50% off, so I bought some more coffee. Half price is good. If you bring your own mug for coffee, they give a discount. Normally coffee costs $1.60 but with your own mug, it costs $1.06 for a "bottomless" cup. Wish I had known that one sooner.

Tonight we ate a meal that cost less than $3 total. I bought a package of 6 bratwursts on sale for $1 a while back. We ate half of them and half will go into future meals. I cooked a pound of potatoes which cost me 25 cents. We ate leftover beans, half the can. The entire can cost 39 cents so that portion was about 20 cents. I had a dollar jar of applesauce and we ate less than half of it so there will be some for a future meal. Bread was $1 a loaf and has about 20 slices, so that is about a nickle a slice. Condiments were pennies. The cost of the meal for both of us was $1.60 total.

Last night we had nachos. I used 1/4 lb of hamburger, precooked. The hamburger cost about $2 a pound so that was 50 cents worth. We had corn chips, on sale $1 a bag and used half the bag. We used half a can of pinto beans (this was new for us but really good!) which was 20 cents worth. Cheese was a bit more expensive. I got it on sale for about $3 a pound and we used about 4 ounces, that's about 75 cents. Condiments like Miracle Whip (2 oz out of a 32 oz, 99 cent jar is about 6 cents) and hot sauce (Crystals $1.29 a bottle and we used about 1/12 of it or 10 cents worth maybe). The whole meal came to slightly more than $2.

I have been buying the ripe bananas for 19 cents a pound instead of 69 cents a pound and they make a good dessert or snack.

#27 Moving tips- basic

2008-05-14T18:40:00.000-07:00

When moving long distances, the less weight you have, the less it costs to move it.
#1 Get rid of all of the trash and items that have no value to anyone. It is amazing how many people move trash.
#2 Sell and/or give away everything you do not love or use regularly.
#3 Consider selling your heavy furniture if it is not something you do not feel you could live without. For the frugal among us, we can buy furniture at garage sales, thrift stores and second hand stores in our new home. (If you are particular, must have brand new things to survive and have a tight budget, this will not work for you. )
#4 Get a home with a refrigerator, stove and other heavy appliances already in it.

#26 Borrow

2008-05-14T18:35:00.000-07:00

Instead of buying something you rarely use, see if there is a way to borrow it from someone who owns it when you need it. If you have several friends, you might be able to share things so that each of you saves money by not buying it.

If borrowing is not possible, check into renting the item. Items you do not own do not have to be stored so there is less clutter too.

If rentals are not available, see if it is possible to buy the item second hand.

#25 Shots- vaccinations

2008-05-14T18:29:00.000-07:00

The county health department gives shots very inexpensively. Some counties are free for some ages. You do not have to pay all the fees that come with going to the doctor's office such as the office visit, the fee for the nurse to give the shot and stuff like that, plus the cost of the actual medicine is cheaper.

#24 Free Local Events

2008-04-02T17:02:00.000-07:00

Check the local paper for free events every week. There are many here. We have gone to concerts, plays, movies, seminars, classes, lectures, discussion groups, book reviews, special tours, rallies, barbeques, festivals, shows, and much more.

Every few months our local hands on science center has a free day for families. This is a great place to go, especially to take the kids.

In the spring and fall one of our movie theaters has free children's movies for about 10 Saturday mornings in a row. They are good, clean movies and we enjoyed going with the kids.

Once a month our town has an art walk. Art museums are open that eveing and you walk from one to another and look around. A few have free snacks out to try while you browse.

#23 Seasonal Items

2008-04-02T16:56:00.000-07:00

After a holiday, things go on clearance. They start out at 50% off and will eventually be 75% to 90% off or more. It is a good way to get things for next year very inexpensively.

They sell other things inexpensively too like holiday foods, paper towels, candy, baggies, colored plastic wrap and much more. My spills don't care what design is on the paper towels and my food doesn't care what color plastic wrap it has over it. Chocolate is the same whether it has santas, hearts, shamrocks, bunnies, pumpkins or some other design on the wrapper.

#22 Liquid Hand Soap

2008-04-02T16:53:00.000-07:00

Instead of buying refills of liquid hand soap when the dispenser is out, I put some dish soap in the hand soap bottle and some water and shake it up. It works fine. So does body wash, which I have bought very inexpensively on sale and tried.

#21 Eyeglasses and Contacts

2008-04-02T16:40:00.000-07:00

There is a tremedous difference in the cost of eyeglasses and contacts from one place to another. There was a $200 difference between mine and a friend's (mine much less expensive although bifocals so not the least expensive they had).

Everybody assumes that the big general merchandise discount stores have the best deals. For me that was not so by a long shot. There was over $100 difference. I do much better at places that deal in eyes only and not tires, food, etc.

In our town, on the other hand, if you have pink eye, eye infections, eye irritations, etc. the best place to get quick, inexpensive care is Wal Mart eye doctors. They specialize in eyes and charge less than a medical doctor, at least in our town. You can also get in as soon as you have a problem rather than waiting several days for an appointment (because the medical doctors here are so successful they have more patients than they can handle). Other eye doctors can be similar but call first and ask for prices. They can range from $20 to $160 here for a visit.

#20 Water Saver Shower Heads

2008-04-01T21:09:00.000-07:00

These do not cost much, last a long time and save water, especially with teens who like to stay in the shower a while.

#19 Haircuts

2008-04-01T21:03:00.000-07:00

Several years ago I learned to cut the guys' hair. My youngest son wore his hair very short at that time and it just didn't seem like much of a bargain to take him so the barber could run a shaver over his head. We bought our own clippers and I started doing it and saved the $8. The other guys wanted me to do their hair too. I had watched when they got their hair cut so I tried what I saw the barber doing. (Anybody can go stand outside the window of a downtown barber shop and watch them cut hair to see how to do it)

After a while, I was not only cutting the hair of the guys in my house, but they were bringing their broke friends too. I guess I must do an okay job.

At $8 (it may be more now) a month, we saved $96 a year per guy.

#18 Bread

2008-04-01T20:58:00.000-07:00

The most economical place to buy bread, buns and such is a bread outlet store. I buy several loaves at a time and put all but one in the freezer. I save anywhere from 60 cents to $1.75 a loaf (60 cents is generic versus the name brand bread store product-$1.75 is the identical product but from a grocery store instead).

Buns, pasties and other items are cheaper too. Sometimes they run specials. Having a freezer to put the things in makes buying extra worthwhile.

#17 Traveling and Food

2008-04-01T20:45:00.000-07:00

When we travel, I take along my own bottled water and beverages. It is much more economical than buying things at a quick shop. We also take along snacks for in the car.

If we are going on a long trip, sometimes we take a picnic lunch to eat on the way. It is much healthier than anything we can get in a fast food restaurant and is much more economical.

Packing a lunch is a hassle and takes extra time, and there is extra clean up, so we do not do it if it is just my husband and I or we are with a group any more. That, and it is difficult to find picnic tables. We often have to eat sitting in the car in a hot parking lot. But it is economical. If we are spending the night in a motel and are not with a group, we will buy something to eat in the room at a grocery store often.

We get discounts at motels from our auto club. We also tend to stay in moderately priced motels rather than the high end type.

When we really needed to cut costs traveling with several children, we camped along the way at campgrounds in a pop up tent camper or a tent. It is a lot of work but economical. The kids have fun playing outside and eating out in the open air. Most campgrounds have bathrooms with showers and swimming pools.

#16 Car Tires

2008-04-01T20:31:00.000-07:00

When money is tight, there is an alternative to expensive car tires. Many tire places will sell used tires in good shape for a lot less. They charge a flat rate, which includes everything. We have had these most of the time and have had very good luck with them.

Watch out for places, like box stores, that claim to have low prices but add extra charges for stems, balancing and who knows what else. Their prices look low until you add in all the "extras" that are very necessary and find out that bargain wasn't much of a bargain.

Go for a place that included everything in the price up front if getting new tires for the best deal.

#15 Sack Lunches

2008-04-01T20:27:00.000-07:00

The price of food for lunch while working is going up. A modestly priced meal can cost $5 or $6 or more. To brown bag a lunch to work costs less than $2, depending on what is included. Things like sandwiches, leftovers, wraps, salads, fresh fruit and all kinds of things are possible.

Normally what we bring from home is healthier than the junk we might buy.

#14 Office and School Supplies

2008-04-01T20:23:00.000-07:00

The best time of year to stock up on office and school supplies is about a month before the kids go back to school around here. Stores practically give away ink pens, pencils, notebooks, paper, copy paper, crayons, markers and all sorts of things. These items might sell anywhere from 10 cents, to 25 cents to a dollar, depending on what they are. It saves a lot of money to buy these things then for year round use.

#13 Restaurant Meals

2008-04-01T20:21:00.000-07:00

Many of the entrees in a restaurant are big. Rather than eat until I am overstuffed, I prefer to take home what I do not eat and have a second meal from it. It is healthy to eat about half and take home about half.

#12 Restaurant Beverages

2008-04-01T20:18:00.000-07:00

In a restaurant I order water with my meals. It tastes good and it saves anywhere from $1 to $3 per meal.

#11 Restaurant Coupons

2008-04-01T20:05:00.000-07:00

Newspapers, home mailers, coupon books and internet coupons will offer restaurant discounts. They offer cents off, buy 1 get one free, free appetizers, free beverages and more with purchase.

My favorites are buy one get one free to eat for half price.

#10 Comparison Shop

2008-04-01T19:59:00.000-07:00

On everything, compare prices and quality at different places. Whether it is a job that needs to be done, such as landscaping, roofing or home repair or a new furnace, hot water heater, appliances and such, get estimates. Also look at quality. Prices and quality will vary greatly. So will guarantees. By comparison shopping, a person can save hundreds of dollars.

I comparison shop on everything, including food, clothing, school supplies and more.

#9 Appliances

2008-04-01T19:55:00.000-07:00

There are many stores that sell good used appliances. On a tight budget, this would be a good option when an appliance, such as a washer, dryer or refrigerator breaks down and money is short. I have never done this but a friend of mine has and it has worked out well. I just use things until they fall apart and then repair them. By the time we are done using something, it has no life left.

#8 Electricity

2008-04-01T19:41:00.000-07:00

Turn off all the lights, appliances, LED lights and anything else when not in use.

Use the new energy efficient bulbs in lights that are left on a lot. They aren't bright enough to read by for older eyes and they contain dangerous mercury but they will save a bit of money. Mine are in the porch lights.

Use lower wattage bulbs in areas that do not need bright light.

Wait to run the dishwasher until it is full and use the energy efficient settings. (It is not necessary to fill the dish soap dispenser full. Follow the directions on the box of dishwashing soap)

Run full loads of laundry in the washer rather than a bunch of small loads.
Use cold water for most things.
Hang items out to dry on a clothesline, especially items like jeans that take a lot of energy to dry.
(For lightly soiled clothing, it is not necessary to use as much soap)

A foreign exchange student living with us asked why we washed our clothes every time we wore them. He had a good point. It is not necessary to wash things that are not dirty. Some things can be worn more than once before they need washing.

Towels usually can be used more than once before washing. Depending on the individual, they may be used for several days.

#7 Soda Pop and Snacks

2008-04-01T19:36:00.000-07:00

The pop machine at work costs 75 cents to $1 for soda. Rather than buy one daily, we take one from home at a fraction of the cost. A can from home averages 25 cents.

That saves 50 cents a day, 5 days a week or $2.50 times 50 weeks a year is $125. If we drink 2 a day, that is $250 a year.

Generics bring even more savings.

The same holds true for snacks from vending machines. It is much less expensive to bring your own each day.

#6 Freebies

2008-04-01T19:31:00.000-07:00

If a business is giving away ink pens, tablets, toys, candy or anthing else to promote their business, I take it. Much of it we use ourselves but some of it is given away to others. Why buy little things when someone will give it to you (and a thousand other people)?

I have a candy dish near the door and guests and neighborhood kids help themselves. Much of the candy is what I have been given at various places.

The local bus was giving away free ride tokens as part of a promotion. I was given a few and later gave them to a young man who lost his job and needed to take the bus to find a new one.

#5 Cars

2008-04-01T19:26:00.000-07:00

We save our pennies and buy old cars that we can afford to pay cash to buy. Old cars cost less on insurance and taxes, both up front and every year. Paying cash means there is no interest.

When there is a teen in the house, insurance is high. Really old cars allow us to cover liability only. Fender benders happen among teens too.

Cars are not status symbols, they are transportation. As long as they run well, are somewhat comfortable, the heat and the a/c work and the radio works, I'm fine.

#4 Change

2008-04-01T19:24:00.001-07:00

Every so often I come across pennies or other change on the ground. I pick it up and throw it in a jar. One year I picked up $109 in small change. That requires a lot of walking but good health is a frugal habit also.

#3 Paper Napkins

2008-04-01T19:20:00.000-07:00

This one gets me made fun of by my more wasteful friends but that's okay.
When we are in a restaurant and have unused paper napkins, I take them home with me. The restaurant is just going to throw them away. I use them for spills in the car and at home as well as for dinner napkins.

It probably only saves pennies but every penny adds up.

#2 Credit Cards

2008-04-01T19:18:00.000-07:00

Credit cards are for emergencies, not for everyday use. They charge high rates of interest which is money out of my pocket for which I get no value. If our credit cards have a balance, we pay it off in full every month.

#1 Interest

2008-04-01T19:16:00.000-07:00

Interest is money in somebody else's pocket for which I get nothing extra of value. It is like pouring money down a hole. With the exception of our home, we do not pay interest. We save our money and buy what we want or go without until we can.

Frugal Living

2008-04-01T19:06:00.000-07:00

So many times in life money has been tight. There are plenty of shortcuts for getting more with less. Having both Scottish and New England roots, I enjoy the challenge of getting the most for my money.

Right now gas and utility prices are up a lot. Food prices are going up more quickly than usual as a result, as are the prices of everything else. Things like corn and wheat prices keep rising. The housing market is having problems and the dollar is shrinking proportionately to other world currencies.

While all this may or may not last, it is good to have a bit of extra cash in my pocket.

I have been accused of being overly conservative and doing things that could not possibly matter. A lot of tiny things add up to bigger amounts.